Here is a write up: Hi-Point Firearms

It is a blow back pistol in large caliber so it needs a very heavy spring. The percieved recoil should be fairly significant.

My problem is that there is ugly, then there is UGLY, and then there is too-ugly-to-f**k, and this falls into the last catagory.

If I needed a functional gun that i don't care whether it gets scratched or beat up looking, I would buy a Hi-point. Ugly, cheap looking, Yes. But a good gun for tackle box duty, survival kit or any other job where you wouldn't risk your (insert premium brand here). Once you get past the looks, I understand that they are accurate and reliable. They also reputedly have a great warranty and customer service. I've thought of getting one just for the heck of it. For the price, how bad can it be? You can always sell it on. People that own them seem surprisingly happy with them.

Most important thing when you buy any gun is to run between 300-500 target rounds and some of the hollowpoints that you will be carrying...

If you do that and there are no problems, the weapon is reliable.. I do the same with my HK's

I'm a very new gun owner, and when I was shopping about a month ago I asked about Hi-Point (because they're cheap) at a large local shop. They don't sell them, and they don't even allow people to bring them to their indoor range. They would turn away business just to avoid Hi-Point in any way. That was enough for me. That wasn't the only "off-brand" he mentioned they were weary about, but that one stuck in my mind as the worst.

If Hi-Points were so good then we would all own one.

Originally Posted by TheReaper

If Hi-Points were so good then we would all own one.

+1

That's the truth. Example: "Everyone should have at least one Glock". You never hear, "Everyone should own at least one Hi-Point". I would rather spend the $150 on ammo or a good EDC rig for my Taurus.

Interesting thread. Great to hear the opinions from so many folks who have no first hand info but have "heard things"... I personally won't comment on a handgun if I don't own the model OR haven't handled/shot the thing extensively. Opinions based on rumor and hearsay are absolutely useless.

I have to disagree whole heartedly.....the basic premise of your agruement seems sound, however to paint with as broad a brush as you are is as much hearsay and useless as you imply conversley. I have never touched or used a Chinesse Air Wrench. Nor will I. However one of my friends who does the same type of work I do and expects similar quality in the things he buys has purchased one of the more inexpensive brands. (The brand escapes me but if I called him he would tell me it). From his experiance and knowing his criteria, I would not ever have to hold ,touch or use one to know I would be able to say the brand he bought is inferior, and that I would never recomend it to anyone serious about using tools. It even had a warantee and man was it affordable. (although it fit the coupling and went vertttttttt vertttttt when you pressed the trigger)

There are just too many other good quality tool that can be had, that I would not risk nor would I suggest anyone else risk buying one just because it cost next to nothing.............really why do you think that is? I can say with complete confidence and a high degree of authority do not buy that brand of air wrench even though I have never touched one in my life.

I have touched Hi Points and I wished I hadn't. They have a good waranty and are dirt freakin cheap. That is not the critera I choose to use when I buy a weapon.

RCG

The logic of your argument escapes me... Junk air tool? The Hi-Point is a junk air tool in a pistol? Why? Because it is made in China? You have handled a Hi-Point? Why not describe the negative things you found when you cycled rounds through it. Did fail to feed? Fail to eject? Sensitive to certain ammo? Shot poor patterns? Nope, not many arguments of this sort. All the negative arguments, for the most part, have been my buddy this, or the guy at the range that... The original poster asked for FIRST hand experience with a Hi-Point. The main knock has been CHEAP. They are inexpensive but then so are Taurus, Bersa, Kel-Tec, etc. I have all of them bashed as "cheap"; "I would never trust my life". I think comments on a pistol site would be a whole lot more useful if folks would just stick to what they actually know; not what they think or have heard or somebody else told them. And the comment about the gun shop/range won't allow Hi-Points on-range? Geesh, bet you came out owning a Kimber. That is normally what they push as the profit margin would be just a tad higher I suspect. Another interesting point is that when the Kimber fails to fire, jams and won't eject NO ONE says a word otherwise they look like a spending ninny.

I was afraid my logic would escape you.........oh well.....your Kimber bashing with no specifics other then profit margin (which everyone knows is evil) is admirable; especially when compared to the lowlife Hi Point Bashing you say has no validity with out specifics except they are cheap.

This was not meant to be an arguement and it will not become one. When ever anything breaks down to money it only causes resentment. Just look at Congress. Thank God they were intellegent enough to extend the tax breaks to all Americans.

RCG

I'm considering buying one also, I've done some research on them and realized people love to hate them. So I look on youtube and watched a series of some guys trying to blow one up. They threw it, beat it with a hammer, ran it over with a truck, ran everything through it including black powder, hammered a 3/8 bolt in the barrel and shot it out. In the end they had to hold the bolt in with a C clamp so it wouldn't budge and finally seceded, so needless to say you should be fine with the HP. Good luck.

For the money I'll go with a Makarov. It's not a 9x19 nato but a 9x18 soviet round ammo around and not stupid high priced.

Have you seen the inside of those things? They look like they were machined by a blind chimp with palsy. I can't believe they function, which is a tribute to their loose tolerences. Yes, I have shot them, and no they most certainly are NOT what I would call "accurate". They will put rounds in the general area where you want them, but let's not make a Bullseye match gun out of these things.

I was given a HP .380 the size of a 1911 and the weight of a similarly sized piece of depleted uranium. I duracoated it pink and we used it as a gag gift at our annual banquet, putting a UTG red dot on it and calling it "the next Open gun".

The gun is a cheap slug thrower. If that's what you want, more power to ya. If on the other hand you intend to defend yourself and your loved ones in a serious way, get a serious gun.

Dan

Originally Posted by HK Dan

Have you seen the inside of those things? They look like they were machined by a blind chimp with palsy. I can't believe they function, which is a tribute to their loose tolerences. Yes, I have shot them, and no they most certainly are NOT what I would call "accurate". They will put rounds in the general area where you want them, but let's not make a Bullseye match gun out of these things.

I was given a HP .380 the size of a 1911 and the weight of a similarly sized piece of depleted uranium. I duracoated it pink and we used it as a gag gift at our annual banquet, putting a UTG red dot on it and calling it "the next Open gun".

Dan

The size of the 380 is the same as the 9mm not small. As far as the weight and size it's still less than a SIG P229.

Genitron.com: Comparing 2 Guns|CF-380|P229|

Must have been fun putting a red dot on it since it does not have a rail.

"accurate" is the person shooting the gun with practice IMO.

To each his own.

Mounting a red dot to a Hi Point would be pretty easy especially if you didnt plan to shot it. Tap a weaver rail into the top of the slide.........put it on.

Practice with a gun will make you more accurate with that gun. But it will never make a gun that is less accurate by nature equal to one that is inherantly more accurate.

I don't know about the accuracy of the .380 Hi Point but if it is as accurate as the tolerances of it assembly it could possibly have moments of accuarcy.

RCG

Thank you! That gun will never be fired again (it could be), but let's face it--it's pink and it's ugly. To say that it weights less than a Sig isn't giving much credit. Sigs are HEAVY.

Finally "Accurate" isn't necessarily the person shooting the gun. You're assuming the gun can outshoot the shooter. This one can't. These are short lived pot metal guns and should be looked at with the same level of disdain as styrofoam cups compared to fine china.

I bought a Hi-Point .380 from a local pawn shop nine years ago for $70.00. My daughter and I took it to the range every Thursday while she was being home-schooled. It seems the vote for ugly is as consistant as is my vote for reliability. I've never had any failures to fire that were the gun's fault. The barrel, on our model was fixed and if the sights weren't changed, the point of impact only changed because of the variety of ammunition I used. My point is this: If this firearm was being used to rob my family at gun point, I have no doubt that it will fire with every squeeze of the trigger. I bought this one so it will never be used in this scenerio. My family is important to me, so I buy the best I can afford. I also practice as much as possible to prove to myself that my purchase was adaquate. If you are questioning the ability of a Hi-Point pistol to fire accurately, practice, . . . practice, . . . practice, you will answer your own questions reliably with first person facts.

Originally Posted by DonW

I bought a Hi-Point .380 from a local pawn shop nine years ago for $70.00. My daughter and I took it to the range every Thursday while she was being home-schooled. It seems the vote for ugly is as consistant as is my vote for reliability. I've never had any failures to fire that were the gun's fault. The barrel, on our model was fixed and if the sights weren't changed, the point of impact only changed because of the variety of ammunition I used. My point is this: If this firearm was being used to rob my family at gun point, I have no doubt that it will fire with every squeeze of the trigger. I bought this one so it will never be used in this scenerio. My family is important to me, so I buy the best I can afford. I also practice as much as possible to prove to myself that my purchase was adaquate. If you are questioning the ability of a Hi-Point pistol to fire accurately, practice, . . . practice, . . . practice, you will answer your own questions reliably with first person facts.

I have to agree 100% with this post. I have owned my .380 for at least 9 years as well and have put thousands (over 10k) rounds through it, and I bought it used. It goes bang everytime, with any type of ammo. I have heard numerous horror stories about hi point, but I do not have any. Matter of fact, it is sometimes my concealed carry.

I bought a hipoint with the intent to fix it up. I wanted to paint it and do little "hopup" things to it that i had seen on youtube videos and on the hipoint forum.

SHelled out $215. for the gun and a 10 round mag. Got it home and checked it all out found the feed ramp was painted. Looking back at my other semi autos none of them had a painted feed ramp. In my mind this is an over spray from the factory cheap build quality maybe?

SO i begin to polisht eh barrel and the feed ramp. I get it to a pretty good shine


put it all back together head to the range and fire a little over a box of shells threw it. It didnt have any issues i was pretty happy with it other then the recoil was a tad harsh for a 9mm i felt. All plastic grip and frame cant expect much.

I tear it all down and clean it and all my work has gone out the window.


After just over 50 rounds and the feed ramp looks like i took a hammer to it!


I think the paint was a protective finish of some sort. The barrel is steel but the ejection port and the feed ramp are pot metal. So soft that the lead from the round actually dents the feed ramp! and the brass looks as if it took BIG huge gouges from it as well.

So what have i learned? when this goes back im not going to remove the factory paint. I think its part of the design of the gun!

I will give you a little feedback on hi point,I own a jhp have for couple years,it has been dependable,reliable,and is affordable.I also own a colt NMGC,and I shoot my hi point much more often,i like the feel of it,the warranty is unmatched in the industry,its made in america that means something to me.Ive kept it clean and have no problems to report to this point after approx.800 rounds through it,ive shot ball,hollow point,wad cutter,no faliure to feed,no lock ups,ya pull the trigger it goes boom,and I dare say its every bit if not more accurate than my colt.The barrel is made onto the frame it doesnt flop around I think that helps its accuracy,for the money they cant be beat in my own experence,every manufacturer has had a lemon or two leave the shop,agian based on my personal usage of a hi point cant say anything bad about ig,i am a stone mason for 32 years so the weight of it doesnt bother me,it looks intimidating,main thing is to maintain it regularly,im taking a ccw course this weekend dont know if I will carry it or not,but it has its place by my side,never shot the 9mm ive heard good and bad,so in my opinion its not expensive and it does what its suppose to do.I hope this helps you personal experence is priceless.

Paint does not prevent dents, dings or gouging of the ramp

I actually just got rid of my C9 today...

My opinion, it is a decent gun that fills a niche. The niche is an inexpensive firearm for those who can't afford something much more than $300 (mine was $160 new a few years back)

I bought it a few years ago when I needed a sidearm for a hunting trip in Mountain lion country. I didn't have much money, so Hi Point fit the situation.

It fires well, only have had a few failures (I accredit those mostly to user error and not so great ammo). It was accurate as any handgun I've shot and its weight made for a manageable recoil.

I sold it because my financial situation is much better now and I have replaced it with a Nano, Sig P938, and a 24/7 G2. I figured I'd let it go to someone who needs an affordable firearm as I did a few years back.

At this time Zastava Tokarevs in 9 and 7.62 are selling under $300. All steel military grade weapon, much more reliable than Hi-Point, 10 round capacity, very thin
and concealable.